I do try and remember the roots of Halloween, or Samhein as it is known to Pagans. Samhein is a festival that celebrates this time of ethereal beauty and apparent decay and death, where the 'veil between the worlds' is at its thinnest.
It is a time to remember loved ones and some Pagans set a place at their dining tables on Samhein for those they have lost recently. I think this is a beautiful and really poignant gesture - quite at odds to the commercial horror/gore/Disney appropriation of this ancient festival.
That said, this evening we have a good friend coming over to watch a scary film, so a spot on the sofa with pizza reserved for my dearly departed Grandmother might not go down so well! I may light a candle for her though and leave it in the window.
I do recognise that children enjoy the festivities, so as our office had a carving competition and provided us with pumpkins, we are prepared for any trick-or-treaters:
We have also averted the risk of any 'tricks' without breaking the bank. These sweets were from Aldi at just 27p per bag, a grand total of £1.09 (the bucket is recycled from last year).
Last night we had another good friend over for dinner and looking for a cheap dinner idea but one that felt like we were making an effort, I dug out the fondue set we bought on a holiday to Switzerland years ago.
What a winner! We added two packets of Aldi Gouda/Emmental cheese (£2.28) to half a pint of ale (£1.25) and a garlic clove (6p) to make the fondue, melting it on the hob then adding it to the basin within the set.
To dip we went authentic Swiss, with various pickles (£1.87); a bag of baby potatoes (£1.49) and a loaf of nice crusty bread, cut into cubes (£2).
At £2.98 per head this was more expensive than a meal we would usually cook for ourselves, but it was a really delicious and different dinner - our guest (who also bought hummus and asparagus) loved it!
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